A multilayer ceramic capacitor generally has a capacitor body of laminated structure, as well as external electrodes respectively provided on the opposing ends of the capacitor body. The capacitor body has capacitance-forming parts comprising multiple internal electrode layers stacked together with ceramic layers in between, and protective parts made of ceramics that are placed on both sides of the capacitance-forming parts in the laminating direction. In addition, the ends of some of the multiple internal electrode layers are connected to one external electrode, while the ends of the rest are connected to the other external electrode.
This type of multilayer ceramic capacitor requires sufficient deflection strength in order to resist the stress received when it is mounted on a circuit board, etc., as well as the stress received in a mounted state due to thermal shock, etc. It should be noted that this deflection strength is generally expressed by the amount (in mm) by which the jig is pushed in before the multilayer ceramic capacitor experiences a capacitance drop of aspecified percentage or more in the deformation process when the multilayer ceramic capacitor is soldered on one side of the board and then, with the one side supported by a frame, the area corresponding to the capacitor-soldered location on the other side is pressed down with a jig at a constant speed and thus deformed.
Patent Literatures 1 and 2 below each disclose a structure that may be utilized for improving the deflection strength of the multilayer ceramic capacitor. However, both provide dummy electrode layers or metal layers that do not contribute to the formation of capacitance inside the capacitor body, and therefore make the structure of the capacitor body complex.